Jerrica Hauck broke the East Union pole vault record in dramatic fashion Wednesday at Sierra High’s Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stadium, but it was the host Timberwolves’ girls team, led by distance runner Katelyn Carbiener, that squeaked out a much-needed win to open the Valley Oak League season.
Needing to wrap up the top two places in the 3,200-meter run, the second-to-last event of the dual meet, Sierra got a 1-2-3 sweep that rendered the 4x400 race moot.
The 70-65 win gives Sierra the leg-up on what is expected to be a wide-open race to the team title. Oakdale is still the team to beat having won five straight championships.
Sierra’s reigning VOL and Sac-Joaquin Section Division-III boys won more convincingly, 102-33.
“Going in, I thought it was going to be tight between the two girls teams,” Sierra coach Anthony Chapman said. “I couldn’t be happier for our girls, because they’ve got some athletes over there.
“Todd (Dunaway, EU’s coach) does a great job with them. He brought their program a long ways the last couple of years. I felt like we were the underdog going into the meet.”
Carbiener, a standout in cross country but a first-year track athlete as a senior, was instrumental for Sierra. She won all three distance events: the 800 (2 minutes, 38 seconds), 1,600 (5:54) and 3,200.
Nicole England and Francis Scherry went 2 and 3 in the two-mile race to clinch the team victory. The Timberwolves also swept both throwing events and the triple jump.
“I told (the girls distance runners) flat out that if we go 1-2 we’re going to win the meet,” Chapman said. “Nicole says, ‘What about 1-2-3?’ I said, ‘Even better.’ They really came through for us today, especially Katelyn.”
Other first-place finishers for Sierra were: Valerie Nestor in the shot put (34 feet, ¼-inch), Valerie Westover in the discus (93-10 ½) Didra Reese in the triple jump (29-9) and Jaclyn McAllister in the long jump (14-3).
For East Union, the day belonged to Hauck, a promising junior who made a nice late-season push for the SJS Masters Meet last year.
After setting a personal record in the pole vault at 10-9 in Saturday’s Tom Moore Relays hosted at Sierra, Hauck cleared 10-10 on her final attempt Wednesday. The previous school record of 10-9 ½ was owned by Autumn Bell (2002).
“It’s pretty exciting,” Hauck said. “I wanted to make 11, but that’s all right because my name is in the (record) book now.”
Sprinter Makayla Valdez, the early favorite to win the VOL sprint titles, turned in dominating performances in the 100 (12.28 seconds) and 200 (25.84) while anchoring the winning 400 relay team.
Carmen Haro won the 100 hurdles (17.58) and 300 hurdles (53.84), sophomore Megan Jordan was first in the 400 in 1 minute flat and Shalane Jackson claimed the high jump with a 4-4 mark.
In the boys competition, Sierra had winners in 15 out of the 16 events.
Grant Widmer won all three of his events (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump). Ruben Lopez (400, 800, 4x400) and Ulysses Knapps (long jump, triple jump, 4x100) each won two individual events and were a part of first-place relay teams.
Kolton Cody (200, 4x100) and Stephen Thayer (200, 4x100) were victors in the sprints; Ricky Morris and Trevor Nunes won the mile and two-mile, respectively; and Adam Bennett’s discuss toss of 143-5 was good for first place.
Devon Woodall was East Union’s lone winner, heaving the shot 44-7 ¼.
Needing to wrap up the top two places in the 3,200-meter run, the second-to-last event of the dual meet, Sierra got a 1-2-3 sweep that rendered the 4x400 race moot.
The 70-65 win gives Sierra the leg-up on what is expected to be a wide-open race to the team title. Oakdale is still the team to beat having won five straight championships.
Sierra’s reigning VOL and Sac-Joaquin Section Division-III boys won more convincingly, 102-33.
“Going in, I thought it was going to be tight between the two girls teams,” Sierra coach Anthony Chapman said. “I couldn’t be happier for our girls, because they’ve got some athletes over there.
“Todd (Dunaway, EU’s coach) does a great job with them. He brought their program a long ways the last couple of years. I felt like we were the underdog going into the meet.”
Carbiener, a standout in cross country but a first-year track athlete as a senior, was instrumental for Sierra. She won all three distance events: the 800 (2 minutes, 38 seconds), 1,600 (5:54) and 3,200.
Nicole England and Francis Scherry went 2 and 3 in the two-mile race to clinch the team victory. The Timberwolves also swept both throwing events and the triple jump.
“I told (the girls distance runners) flat out that if we go 1-2 we’re going to win the meet,” Chapman said. “Nicole says, ‘What about 1-2-3?’ I said, ‘Even better.’ They really came through for us today, especially Katelyn.”
Other first-place finishers for Sierra were: Valerie Nestor in the shot put (34 feet, ¼-inch), Valerie Westover in the discus (93-10 ½) Didra Reese in the triple jump (29-9) and Jaclyn McAllister in the long jump (14-3).
For East Union, the day belonged to Hauck, a promising junior who made a nice late-season push for the SJS Masters Meet last year.
After setting a personal record in the pole vault at 10-9 in Saturday’s Tom Moore Relays hosted at Sierra, Hauck cleared 10-10 on her final attempt Wednesday. The previous school record of 10-9 ½ was owned by Autumn Bell (2002).
“It’s pretty exciting,” Hauck said. “I wanted to make 11, but that’s all right because my name is in the (record) book now.”
Sprinter Makayla Valdez, the early favorite to win the VOL sprint titles, turned in dominating performances in the 100 (12.28 seconds) and 200 (25.84) while anchoring the winning 400 relay team.
Carmen Haro won the 100 hurdles (17.58) and 300 hurdles (53.84), sophomore Megan Jordan was first in the 400 in 1 minute flat and Shalane Jackson claimed the high jump with a 4-4 mark.
In the boys competition, Sierra had winners in 15 out of the 16 events.
Grant Widmer won all three of his events (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump). Ruben Lopez (400, 800, 4x400) and Ulysses Knapps (long jump, triple jump, 4x100) each won two individual events and were a part of first-place relay teams.
Kolton Cody (200, 4x100) and Stephen Thayer (200, 4x100) were victors in the sprints; Ricky Morris and Trevor Nunes won the mile and two-mile, respectively; and Adam Bennett’s discuss toss of 143-5 was good for first place.
Devon Woodall was East Union’s lone winner, heaving the shot 44-7 ¼.
